Social Security, Railroad Retirement Beneficiaries Must Act Now to Receive Additional $500 Per Eligible Child

Washington, D.C.— The Internal Revenue Service today issued a special alert for several groups of federal benefit recipients to act by this Wednesday, April 22, if they did not file a tax return in 2018 or 2019 and have dependents so they can quickly receive the full amount of their coronavirus stimulus rebate check (“Economic Impact Payment”).

Any Social Security beneficiaries, including individuals receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, or Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits recipients who have not completed a 2018 or 2019 tax return and have qualifying children under age 17 will need to use the new IRS online tool for non-filers to claim the additional $500 per child payment. Social Security and Railroad Retirement beneficiaries have until noon on Wednesday, April 22, to provide this information through the online non-filer portal.  The deadline for SSI and VA recipients is still to be determined, but the IRS also encourages these individuals to complete the online non-filer form as soon as possible. 

“I urge all Social Security and Railroad Retirement beneficiaries with qualifying dependents to act immediately, and I also encourage SSI and VA beneficiaries with dependents to act as soon as possible and register at IRS.gov to ensure they receive the $500 rebate check per child they are entitled to,” said Senator Collins. 

Individuals who receive Social Security, Railroad Retirement, SSI, or VA benefits and do not have qualifying children under age 17 do not need to take any action to receive their $1200 rebate checks. 

Senator Collins strongly supported efforts to allow Social Security beneficiaries to receive their rebate checks automatically and led a bipartisan letter pushing for SSI recipients and veterans who receive disability compensation and other VA benefits to receive a rebate check without having to file a tax return as well.